[sdiy] Analog Computers, Rocket City

[Lanterman, Aaron]

> Adam Inglis wrote:

>> These old analogue computers could be pressed into audio synthesis
>> duties, couldn't they?

The EML 101 design has an analog computer-ish feel to it. The VCF has a weird integrator structure that uses two capacitors per integrator. Someone -- Harry Bissell, maybe? I can't remember now -- mentioned that was a design that showed up in old-school analog computers.

I'd highly recommend this book:

G. A. Korn and T. M. Korn, Electronic Analog and Hybrid Computers. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964.

It has circuit designs I haven't seen present anywhere else, like a deadband circuit with a  diode ring in the feedback loop of an op amp that's used in the Buchla 148 Harmonic Generator, and I think one of the Sources of Uncertainty, IIRC.

- Aaron

P.S. As an aside… there's a *life insurance* analog computer on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Beckman-Instruments-1969-ElectroComp-Analog-Finance-Computer-Museum-ready-/190787989852?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c6bd9b15c